Former boss of major Qld health service accused of corruptly trying to get job for daughter

A former boss of a major Queensland hospital service is facing a committal hearing, accused of corruptly trying to get his daughter an $80,000 job.

The former boss of one of Queensland’s biggest public hospital services has fronted court over allegations he tried to get his daughter a job worth $80,000 during his tenure as chief executive.

Malcolm Frederick Stamp, the former chief executive of Metro North Health and Hospital Service, is facing a committal hearing at Brisbane Magistrates Court more than two years after the state’s corruption watchdog charged him with corruption offences.

Mr Stamp has flown from the UK to attend the committal hearing in person.

Former Queensland Health Metro North Hospital and Health Service chief executive Malcolm Stamp (centre) is facing a committal hearing over allegations he allegedly attempted to give his daughter a job via a taxpayer-funded contract. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Explosive phone calls recorded by Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) were played to the court on Tuesday, with a former executive bemoaning the scenario unfolding at Queensland Health over a lucrative contract being varied without permission.

Mr Stamp is facing one charge each of corruptly receiving or soliciting valuable consideration to influence favour, making a false or misleading account and fraudulently producing a record.

The charges relate to allegations Mr Stamp attempted to give his daughter, Katy Ann Stamp, a job via a taxpayer-funded contract while he was the boss of the health service.

Ms Stamp is not accused of any wrongdoing.

During a committal hearing on Tuesday, Scott McMullen gave evidence that an $85,000 contract being offered by the hospital at the time had been varied down to $80,000 by another colleague.

Mr Stamp has flown in from the UK to attend the committal hearing. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Mr McMullen, a former executive with Queensland Health who worked with Mr Stamp, said the steering committee involved in procuring contracts had not seen the new figure when it was varied.

In a phone call to a family member, he is heard saying: “The worst-case scenario in all of this is they say I helped my boss’ daughter get a job with one of our suppliers.

“No money has changed hands, the invoices show all of that.”

During cross-examination, Mr McMullen confirmed he asked for Ms Stamp’s CV after meeting her in late 2013.

He acknowledged he never got the woman’s CV from Mr Stamp.

Saul Holt QC, Mr Stamp’s defence counsel, questioned Mr McMullen’s decision to create an AO6 role for Mr Stamp’s daughter.

The court was told Mr McMullen discussed the role with Mr Stamp as a way of “Katy getting a role”, to which Mr Holt said was “complete, unmitigated nonsense”.

“I had talked to Malcolm about it, we had been talking how to get a role for Katy and one of the discussions was we could create a role (and) she could go through a process,” Mr McMullen said.

“I felt uncomfortable about it so I went and sought a second opinion.”

The court was told Mr McMullen later lied to CCC investigators about the timeline of the recruitment process and the variation of the contract.

“You’d been actively involved in sending her (Katy’s) CV out to various contacts,” Mr Holt asked.

“Yes,” Mr McMullen said.

The hearing continues.